Thursday, June 20, 2013

New Precious Little Bundles of Joy

Late spring and early summer always bring hot, sunny, lazy days, blue skies, mild and clear starry nights, outdoor fun - and countless kittens. Even supposing that kitten season runs from early spring until late fall, many unwanted but once owned cats and

kittens become redundant by the beginning of summer. Some people are ruthlessly dumping their cats on the street before heading off on summer vacation, the others suddenly find out that keeping the kittens their cat has just recently had means too many

mouths to feed once they are weaned… All kinds of stupid and disgraceful excuses are being heard, but at the end of the day, entire neighborhoods are being flooded with unwanted kittens without homes and year after year, it’s happening with frightening accuracy.

Newborn kittens, blind and with their umbilical cords still attached, are being carelessly dumped somewhere to die a slow, horrible and painful death, and if they are lucky enough to be found, raising them by hand always takes a 24/7 effort

with no guaranties of success. Entire litters are crammed into cardboard boxes, frequently with their mothers, whose unforgivable mistake was that they got pregnant. We’ve already reached the point where we’re happy if the kittens we run into are a

month old – no matter how sick they are, at least they stand a chance to survive.

Nevertheless, when I first saw a pair of six-week-old kittens that were brought to me from the neighborhood, my heart just broke.

Maggie, a sad little tortie, couldn’t open her eyes, they were horribly infected, glued shut with pus and her eyelids were swollen, red and inflamed. It was impossible to discover if she even had eyes, or if she had already lost them because the infection wasn’t

treated on time. Purulent discharge was leaking down her cute little face and she was so helpless and so lost that she immediately tugged at my heartstrings. And when she hugged my hand with her little paws, it was such a touching, unforgettable gesture

of thank you, that it somehow brought the whole reason of what I do into perspective and made everything worth it.

The vet wasn’t very optimistic when he diagnosed her with severe herpes and a chlamydia infection; he said she would

survive but her eyesight might remain seriously damaged. He also told me that her recovery would be a lengthy process. I’ve been tending to her and holding my breath for days while carefully looking into her eyes and trying to see a sparkle under the thick layers of

antibiotic ointment. And then, eight long days later, my little muffin started to open her eyes and it miraculously seems that her vision is unharmed! She made it!

Although she’s well on the mend, she’s not out of the woods yet,

as there’s a chance that her third eyelids will remain protruding because of the possible damage to the nerve that controls the third eyelid retraction, which is a direct result of a horrible eye infection. We’re still not giving up hope on her complete recovery

and even if her third eyelids remain elevated, the problem can be corrected surgically when she grows up.

Maggie’s little sister Kate is in much better shape and her eyes are wide open, even though she did have some discharge at the

beginning. When she arrived here, her expression was so serious and kind of mournful, she looked like an old soul that’s seen too much sadness already, but she is now thriving and bursting with energy. She is mischievous and obstinate, lively,

playful and very loud when she wants something, which she usually does. Both of them are still under treatment in quarantine, but they’re eating well and chasing each other throughout the cage all day long. A good sign!

With these two sweeties, the number of Felix kitties has grown to 113 and the costs of their upkeep are already going through the roof. We’re spending a fortune on food alone; when you add the necessary vet care, deworming and defleaing treatments,

yearly vaccinations and all kinds of unexpected expenses, the overall cost is sky high. It’s clear that the recession is taking its toll and many people are strapped for cash these days but we continue to believe that if you can lend us a helping hand, it would make it

possible for Felix kitties to continue to live happy and healthy lives. No donation is too small, every little bit counts and we’re boundlessly grateful for all of the help we get!

Most if not all of the kitties at the shelter have gone through

hell and back, having been neglected, unwanted and abused, until they came here and learned love for the first time. Please, help us secure their brighter future!

That post brought the reality of what we call "Kitten Season" right in the open. So many little ones are lost, so many mothers are discarded it overwhelms. We try and work to give hope to some, and, yes, it DOES make a difference.Thanks so much for your tireless work.Timmy, Dad and Family

Cats that look like Hitler

Harmony Fund and The Great Animal Rescue Chase

Animal Medical Care Foundation

Mission Statement

The main aim of Felinologic Association Felix is to raise awareness of (and eventually funds for) a private shelter for homeless cats in the Vojvodina region of Serbia. We will also bring you true stories and lots of pictures of these charming creatures. Email us at felix.shelter@gmail.com